Delta Optical Stryker HD Review

The Delta Optical Stryker HD has pleased me beyond my expectations. It’s a Japanese-made scope built around a 34mm tube for a stout but compact chassis. The 56mm objective is well proportioned for a true long-range-capable scope and is not overwhelmed by the 37mm diameter elevation turret, standing 30mm above the central spherical saddle. This, along with the left side windage dial, is smoothly machined and burnished to accept a lustrous black hard anodized coating (that doesn’t remove the skin from your fingers), with subtle knurling to aid grip when controlling adjustments.

The left side parallax dial is similarly formatted, with a central illumination knob numbered 1 to 11 with intermediate ‘off’ positions. The screw-off cap is easy enough to pop off and replace the CR 2032 battery, one of which should really always be carried as a spare anyway these days.

After zeroing within the total 31.5 mRad offered, slightly more than the spec sheet suggests (but beware of binding if you push the limits of mechanical travel) for vertical adjustment, unscrew the turret cap with the supplied hex key. It lifts off and can be re-positioned to mark ‘Zero’, and there is a secondary collar under the turret that can be adjusted down against the base of the turret’s internals. It’s a beautifully simple but effective (and easy to understand) zero stop.

Each moderately weighted but tactile and audible click ‘moves’ the reticle 0.1 mRad (equal to 10mm at 100 meters ), and thankfully is one of the simplest most logical systems out there. There are 10 mRad per turn (100 clicks) counter-clockwise rotation adding elevation. The windage knob is laterally slimmer, standing only 17mm away from the tube with equally easy to adjust and thankfully, like a true turret scope, marked 5 mils left and right of centre, rather than the lazily applied 0-10.

The HD/ED glass does give a bright, flat image and rich colors, Target shooting and longer-ranges is fun with the Stryker. Choose the right reticle and one could have a true long range rig at a very reasonable price.

Fast focus enables sharp reticle focus and the eye relief is long.

The rear fast-focus eyepiece was generous to set up with a slim rubber protection ring on it, and although quite firm, the magnification adjustment ring was extremely smooth with no hint of stuttering. A throw’ lever is supplied that screws into the zoom ring for faster movement as well as a 100mm sunshade that’s is a nice add-on